Many people have an opinion about this historic route, yet relatively few have even stood at its base. I'm not trying to defend the style of the FA, but will simply let people see what this climb was like.

Certain routes become iconic in climbing history, like the Heckmaier on Eiger's North Face, which a lot of climbers have great respect for. I happened to have climbed that route too about half a year before my ascent of the Compressor Route, and can honestly say that the Eiger felt easy in comparison to Cerro Torre.

Here is a visual trip report of the infamous Compressor Route before the bolts on the head wall were chopped:

The Torres.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

Approach to Cerro Torre.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

Approach to Cerro Torre.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

Looking up the east face of Cerro Torre

Credit: KristofferSzilas

Climbing Cerro Torre with Torre Egger looming behind.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

Approach climbing on Cerro Torre.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

Belaying on Cerro Torre with Fitz Roy in the background.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

Evening with the shadow of the Torres on the west face of Fitz Roy.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

Fitz Roy seen from Cerro Torre.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

Bivy time.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

Bivy half way up the Compressor Route on Cerro Torre.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

Evening view of Cerro Standhart.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

Blank slab on the infamous bolt traverse.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

The infamous bolt traverse on Cerro Torre's Compressor Route.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

Ice traverse on the Compressor Route of Cerro Torre.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

Ice towers.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

View of the ice cap.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

Start of the head wall.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

Scary flakes.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

On the head-wall of the Compressor Route, Cerro Torre.

Credit: KristofferSzilas

Bivouac! French for being slow. Sleepless night on the head wall of Cerro Torre.

Beautiful pictoral account! By the time We got very high a BAD storm had moved in. We pushed thru it to within 60 meters of the summit but with nightfall coming and our headlamps weakening we bailed in an intensifying storm. It was pretty much an epic descent.
Patagonia weather completely changes the game.
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I had as much fun during my season on the Compressor Route as I've ever had in my climbing life (1995-1996). 14 attempts spread over two months, great friendships either made or cemented -- Alex Hall, Jim Donini, Stefan Hiermaier, Charlie Fowler -- capped by the most beautiful sunrise I will ever see in my life after bivying on the summit.

I wouldn't trade my Compressor Route experience for all the money in the world.

PS: That f*#king old Joe Brown helmet I'd been using for alpine since I first went to Scotland for spring break in March 1987... threw that f*#king thing down a crevasse on the backside of Mount Bradley after doing the Bourbon Bottle Route four months after coming home from Patagonia that year. Haven't seen it since.

Scott Cole, Walt Shipley and I did the compressor route in 1987 (before doing the Super Couloir). We arrived in El Chaltan to splitter weather, and while our original plan was to climb the west face, we changed our plans to the Compressor Route so we could start climbing right away and take advantage of the good weather. We summited in a storm - we had only been in the country for 10 days - and had an epic all night rap in the tempest.

Great Photos! It took some feeling cold to take them it looks like! Nice close up of the compressor that caused SO much news in the Alpine Climbing Community around the world, all from way up there! Thanks!

This is the best (bar none) TR of Patagonian delights I've seen since 1970 when I and my climbing partner Jeff Mathis attended an AAC event in the Visitors' Center in YoVal, featuring a lecture by Norman Clyde and A Galen Rowell slide show of the Harding/Rowell rescue by RR on the SF of Half Dome the winter before.

Also on that night, we were informed by Dick Dorworth's comments on his showing of the film of Fritz Oy on the classic Funhog Expedition. That was the first time that most of us gathered there in the VC were exposed to the possibilities awaiting us in the area of the Massif Central.

This is my favorite of all the above shots.
Old Maestri himself might could have loved this TR.

All part of the fun, KristofferSzilas! I always used to say that it's not Patagonia unless you hang on the cross for awhile. It does look like you had a really dry season. I look at your photo that shows the approach wall being almost completely dry, whereas I recall climbing snow and mixed the whole way to the Col of Patience, crampons on all the way. Love your pics of the Compressor.

I have no idea Randisi.....it changes season to season and even within a season. In 1976 on the FA we left a carabiner, that I found the year before when I discovered on Toni Egger's remains, on the summit. One wonders under how much ice it now is?

Didn't this Donini pic end up on a Climbing mag cover or something? It looks familiar. Beautiful photograph.

There was a beautiful photo of the ice route on the back side in a Rock & Ice issue a few years ago. I think that Hayden Kennedy took it, or his partner did. It is called the Ferrari route, yes? Also the FA of the mountain used that route. The pic showed these wild ice formations along the route. Unlike any normal ice route. It looked like a fairy tale route. So beautiful.